HIGHWAYS STOPPAGE.

Shannon News, 3 July 1928, Page 3

HIGHWAYS STOPPAGE.

WILL ADD TO UNEMPLOYMENT

COUNCIL AWAITS RELIEF FROM THE BOARD. SUBSIDY OF £2 10s FOR £1 NECESS: ARY TO COMPLETE. The Horowhenua County Council held a special meeting on Sat- ; urday to deal with the estimates for the year ending March 31st, 1929, but these were not finally passed, neither were the rates struck, an impasse being reached owing to the need of financial assistance to complete the Main Highways scheme. The County Chairman had interviewed the Board, with a request for an increased subsidy, but no reply was to hand when the Council met. A large part of the day was spent in discussing the estimates, and eventually it was decided to send a deputation to the District Engineer on Wednesday to stress the -urgency of the County's claim. In the course of the debate it was elicited.jthat the total cost of the Highways Scheme in the: county was expected to be £264,349, as against the original estimate of £148,000, and that, to cover past and future excess exppenditure, a subsidy ,of £2 10s instead of £1 for every £1 spent by the Council in construction would be required. A further revelation was that the highwaystwork in the County would clfee this week, throwing 50 men out of work, until such time as financial aid from the Board will enable it to be resumed. A proposal has been made to be considered at a further special meeting, that, in order to mimimise the burden, on Te Hoao,' where the greatest relative cost has been incurred, the Council declare all Main Highways in the County as County roads.

The meeting was attended by Mr G. A. Monk (Chairman), Crs Barber, Whyte, Ryder, Kilsby, Cat-ley, Jensen and McLeavey. Mr F. IT. Hudson (County Clerk), and Mr J. T. M. Brewster (County Engineer).

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF THE DIFFICULTY.

The Chairman stated that, if the Te Horo riding was laden with the whole of the capital expenditure on the portion of the highway in that riding, the rates would have to be increased from 13/16d to 19/16d. He had alternative proposals to place before the Council.: (1) that the higher rate be struck although it might not be necessary to collect it to the full amount; (2) that the general fund undertake to bear the cost of interest and sinking fund on the surplus amount spent in the riding; and (3) that the Main Highways throughout the county be declared main or countv roads. If'the Board did not consider' the Council's application for an increased subsidy, he thought the Council would have to adopt No. 3 proposal. Even supposing that the Board decided to reimburse the Council for the over-expenditure in Te Horo, the.increased rate on that riding must be collected, and then remitted. The Council did not know the'attitude of the Board. He had done .the best he could, under the circumstances, to persuade them to arrive at a decision, bui nothing had so" far been communicated to the Council. The most equitable course, appeared to be for the Council to declare the Main Highways as Countv roads; then the maintenance, as well as interest and sinking fund, would be a charge on the general account.

Cr. McLeavey suggested that the striking of the rate be held over -until next meeting, so that the Council could see whether they were going to get some help from the Board. Cr. Catley said that, if the Chairman's suggestion were carried out, the maintenance would be paid out of the general fund and Te Horo would pay its share of the general upkeep. He was in favour of that. Something should be done tojicip Tc Horo, and he was not going to oppose any slight ncrease to his own (Wirokino) riding in that respect. With all the Main Highways declared County roads the levies would be made on the ridings according to their valuations. The Chairman said that the Council must come to a definite decision as to what had to be done. The representative of the Board had made it clear that the Board would not consider the matter from a riding point of view. Cr. Catley: Quit" right, too. The Chairman: They say our internal management does not affect them; they are only dealing with the subject from a County point of view. Even if we only spend what was estimated for the* poll, it will fall heavier cm Te Horo than was anticipated in the first place. The best .method would appear to be to declare the main roads, and let Te Horo assume their proportion of the maintenance of those roads that are not completed, and the other ridings assume their fair share of maintenance and interest and sinking fund on those roads that are completed. If that is done, it will probably ease the way as far as the allocation is concerned, and the Council will still be" in a position to take up a firm attitude in regard to the completion of the highways and the expenditure of the balance of the loan. Unless we receive the redress that is due to us, we are going to be penalised because we have shown the way towards highway construction, notonly as it affects this district, but the whole Dominion. It was said that if the Board granted the Council's application, then hundreds of other local bodies would ask for subsidies on prior

work. We are not asking for that. We had done a mile or more of sealing,at the Settlement, and arc not asking the Board to subsidise that, but to subsidise at a higher rate what we have commenced in this scheme, on the basis that it is economically sound as far as the ratepayers are concerned. Proposal No. 2 would not be fair from a Countv point of view, because it would be asking the County to shoulder something for which it cannot get a quid pro quo; but jf we declare the Highways County roads, we are bound to bear a share .of maintenance, interest and sinking fund. A little more cost may be added to the Tokomaru and Wirokino ridings, but the greater burden will fall on the. Otaki and Te Horo ridings. The Chairman added that ,what the Council was asking for was the com-pletion-of the Main Highways with a subsidy that would enable it to be completed for the amount authorised by the ratepayers—£7B,ooo. RATEPAYERS' BURDEN TOO HEAVY.

• Cr. Jensen said he would like the Council to approach the authorities before striking the rate. The burden placed on.the ratepayers was far too heavy to carry; it was simply a road 'tax. ' Through the petrol tax he was paying about £9 a year, which was a considerable amount for maintenance. When the ratepayers sanctioned the loan, they had no idea that the petrol tax was coming in to be an extra burden. Some people would like to put the burden on the shoulders of the farmer—the ratepayer —and call him the "user." That was most unfair, and he thought that the Council had a very good case to go on with. The ratepayers had contributed more to the highways than the general public had done. He suggested that the Council should approach the Minister of Public Works directly. The Chairman: We have made a request to the Board. They countered that by making a request for certain information. That has been supplied, but we have not had their reply. I say, don't let us strike the rate until we get the reply. Cr. McLeavey: Hear, hear.

Cr. Kilsby asked if it would not be possible in "the event of an increased subsidv from the Board, for the Council to'make a refund to Te Horo byway of a lower rate. * - The Chairman: The man on the land wants the rate as low as he can get it to-day. The Board will not consider from a riding point of view any additional subsidy. That is why they insisted that we should give an estimate of the cost of completion of the .work. . Cr. Me,Leavey suggested that the Council go as a* deputation to the Minister,., to expedite consideration of the request for an increased subsidy. -''■-The Chairman stated that the Min--iiter ihad no authority over the Board as.long as the latter administered the Act. -' The matter could be taken up with the Chairman of the Board, but he did not think that anything would be gained by' the whole Council going to Wellington. It would be of no use to go down and suggest to the Board that the Council could not strike the rate because the Board's reply had not been received. The Board were not concerned about that, as they held that it was the Council's business. Cr. "Catley: Can we not tell them that if we "don't get some concession we shall have to stop the work? The Chairman: Yes. Cr. Catley suggested that a letter be sent to the Board to that effect. The Chairman: The Board does not meet for a month, so you cannot expect a reply. No officer of the Board would reply to that. Cr. Jensen said he was surprised that the Board were not concerned over what the. rates were to be, in connection with the work.

The Chairman: They are .not concerned as to how our internal government goes on. They are concerned about getting a road constructed to a standard. They are working to-day on the subsidy basis which we suggested, of £1 for'£l for construction. It }* for us to offer such arguments as will induce, them to increase the subsidy. • Cr. Jensen: I. am not prepared to say that there has been any'squander-ing-of money. The Chairman: The Board don't suggest it. Cr. Jensen: We may have been extravagant in making our roads stronger than we might have done, but thiswill be needed in years to come. Cr. Whytc: I take it that the reply we arc awaiting concerns the future work, and not the past. BOARD ASKED TO BEAR ALL EXCESS COST. The Chairman: It concerns the whole of our highway expenditure. We asked that they would bear the whole of the cost in excess of the estimate. The whole work was expected to cost £140,000, but will now cost over £200,000. ' Cr. Whyte: What will be the position of the Te Horo ratepayers if the answer is not favourable? The Chairman: If we don't get a favourable reply and don 't declare the County roads, then, if the Council insist, Te Horo will have to take that burden. The interest has to be found, and it has been spent there. Cr. Whyte said he wished to see an endeavour made to give relief to Te Horo. Cr. Kilsby asked what was the basis of the Council's further work in regard to Highways Board money.

The Chairman said that the Council obtained authority from the ratepayers to spend £.78,000, the idea being that that amount, together with the subsidy from the Board, would complete the whole work. Now the Council were asking the Board to supple-

ment this so that it would complete the work.

A tentative estimate of the total cost of the .work was £264,349. This was based on an increase of 75 per cent on the estimate for Te Horo and 70 per cent on the balance of the estimates, and it included the bridges and everything else. What the Council were asking the Board for amounted to £2 10s for £1 for the whole of the work; and they were making the suggestion that it was an uncompleted job.

STOPPAGE OF THE WORK. Or. Jensen remarked that, pending a replv from the Board, the Council would have to stop the highways work. The Chairman: That is already stopped. The crusher will finish on ..Mondavi No new work will go on, and the men on the crusher will have to go. Wo have plenty'of work we can start as soon as we get an answer from the Board. 1 will go down next week and take up the matter with the District Engineer and he can pass it on to the head office. It would be better if you would appoint another member to go with me. PURTiIER REPRESENTATIONS,, Or. Ryder moved and Cr. Whyte seconded, "that the Main Highways within the County be declared Main or Countv roads, subject to the provision of the Counties Act, 1920, and the Public Works Act, 1908. By way of amendment, Cr McLeavey moved and Cr. Kilsby seconded that cons deration of the estimates foi 1928-29 be held over until July 14th, and that in the meantime the Main Highways Board be requested to expedite a reply on the question of additional subsidy for. the Main Highway construction so far undertaken and required for completion; and further, that a special meeting of the Council be called for July 14th, to consider a. resolution ■■ to declare Main ■ Highways with the Horowhenua County, main or county foads within the procisions of the Counties Act and'the Public Works Act. ■■ . ,

The Chairman said he had it in mind that about 50 men would become unemployed as a result of the stoppage of the works. As soon as a reasonable reply was received from the Board, however, work could be resumed. The Council should take upa definite stand until -they received' a*-reply/,that was 1 satisfactory. He wanted;it to be.understood that he was hot in any way casting any blame on th„e Board. They had faced their •problems as well as could be expected within the limits of a £1 for £1 subsidy. However, since the Council went-in for the work, the petrol tax had been introduced and '' maintenance had greatly increased, and the Council were of opinion that they were justly entitled to a higher subsidy. ' With regard to the men wht Would'be thrown out of work,'the Gov-' ernment would probably set up some relief works in the vicinity and employ ihem. Something would have to be

done. . j Cr. Kilsby: The member for the district could be acquainted with the fact that a large number will be thrown. oul <jf employment and will need some assistance. . The Chairman: That could be taken up with the two members of Parliament when we are in Wellington. Cr. McLeavey: The Chamber oi Commerce could be written to. The Chairman: That, should conu. from the men themselves. The amendment was carried on a show of hands, those voting against it being Crs Barber, Whyte and Ryder. It was then decided, on the motion of Cr. Kilsby, seconded by Cr. Ryder, that the Chairman and Crs • Whyte and Catley proceed to Wellington and place before tfhe. authorities the necess-ity-for expediting an agreement be tween this Council and the Highway* Board in regard to further work on th< highways in this County. The deputation will interview tin District Engineer on Wednesday oi Thursday, according to his convenience.